Boy with cancer throws opening pitch on dream mound

Kanta Utsunomiya throws the first pitch before a game at Zozo Marine Stadium, on Sunday.
15:22 JST, August 29, 2022
Kanta Utsunomiya, 11, who joined the Chiba Lotte Marines through a charity that supports children undergoing medical long-term treatment, threw out the first pitch before a game against the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba on Sunday.
Utsunomiya, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 4 years old and is still undergoing treatment, joined the team in June through the NPO Being ALIVE Japan. He took to the mound in a uniform with the number 10 on the back and threw a no-bounce pitch.
“I was nervous the whole time and my hands were shaking, but I was able to throw the pitch on the fly because I practiced a lot for today,” he said.
"Sports" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Shohei Ohtani Hitless in Return to Dodgers’ Lineup After Birth of Daughter in California
-
Shohei Ohtani’s First Home Run since the Birth of His Daughter Jump-Starts Dodgers’ 15-2 Win
-
Ex-Dragons Slugger Blanco Dies in D.R. Roof Collapse
-
Sumo Scene / Veteran Takayasu Continues to Fight to Secure Grand Sumo Tournament Championship After Three Fruitless Attempts
-
Hideki Matsuyama Puts on Late Surge to Finish 21st at Masters
JN ACCESS RANKING